Gary Lineker's podcast production company Goalhanger has been named Britain's fastest-growing firm in the Sunday Times 100 rankings. The company, co-founded by the former footballer and TV producers Tony Pastor and Jack Davenport, reported £37.9 million in sales for 2025, with average annual growth of 321% over the past three years.
Goalhanger produces popular podcast series including The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Politics, and The Rest Is Football. The latter, presented by Lineker alongside Micah Richards and Alan Shearer, will become a daily show on Netflix during the 2026 Fifa World Cup. Lineker recently stated he is 'not in competition with the BBC' over World Cup coverage.
The company secured investment from The Chernin Group in January, led by media mogul Peter Chernin. This follows Lineker's departure from Match Of The Day in May last year after 26 years, amid controversy over his political comments on social media.
Health and wellness brands also performed strongly in the rankings. Ancient + Brave and Free Soul were in the top ten with over 200% average annual sales growth. Other notable consumer brands include Mamedica, Mother Root, and Simmer Eats.
Second place went to Lucky Egg, a London-based boardgame maker with nearly 300% growth. A record one-third of the top 100 businesses have female founders, co-founders, or chief executives.
Jon Yeomans, business editor of the Sunday Times, noted the rise of consumer brands, which now make up nearly half the list. He highlighted past successes like Huel and Applied Nutrition, which have continued to grow through stock market listings or acquisitions.
